Stephanie Dye Stephanie Dye: Keep Bible out

I hope that the reason you published the "Bible as Literature" article on the front page was so that the intelligent people of Steamboat could rise and answer.

To teach the Bible as literature in our public schools, you also would have to examine equally the other religious "literature" out there. The "God-given" book of Mormon for one (we all know how the angel gave those words to Joseph Smith) and the Koran, another book inspired by a prophet and believed by millions. Don't leave out the Jewish perspective, or Buddhist or Hindu, as most of these works of literature were written long before the Bible. Then the class could become what it should be, "comparative religion," with open forums for discussing all of these pieces of literature.

I personally do not want my daughter to become immersed in any dogma that promotes male-dominated societies, where women are an afterthought, and are not able to hold high offices. Oh, but we can breed more (put name of religion here).

In the article, the promoters of this idea also mention that "creationism can be taught as a theory." Have I left Steamboat and gone way down South? Please, if we start teaching against science, then maybe we should also teach that the Earth is flat. That was an accepted theory once.

The Bible is literature to those who believe in its absolute truth. However, to many of us, the Bible is just as much literature as "Gone With the Wind" -- a book also based on many historical facts. And I liked how "Gone With the Wind" presents women better.

If the Euzoa Bible Church wants a "Bible as Literature" class, it can advertise it and have it off school grounds at their church. If the School Board decides differently, I will be deeply disappointed.

We have a Christian school in this town. If people want their children to receive a Christian education, please go there.

The separation of church and state was placed in the Constitution by our forefathers to protect the church from interference from the state, all of them coming from countries where whatever religion the King was, so were his subjects. Lately, I am beginning to wonder if the state doesn't need some protection from the interference from the church.